Looking for a unique snack? Try Artichokes



Choose Artichokes that are firm, and well rounded.

Artichokes are a great, healthy snack or side-dish. Cooking them can be intimidating if you didn't grow up with them. Here are the simple steps to enjoying this awesome vegetable.

You can serve them whole and allow everyone to pull the leaves themselves, or you can serve them pulled, with the heart already prepared.






Remove most of the stem and lowest leaves.




Put in a large pot filled with water, over high heat.














Bring to a boil, Cover and cook 20-25 minutes until leaves pull off easily.



Remove from pot with tongs, hold over the pot to drain a bit,
or set in a colander in the sink.



















Pull leaves and arrange on a plate.





Almost done, but we need to get rid of the "choke"
to get to the heart. (Just the way my mamma did it.)



Using a spoon, gently remove the fibers that cover the heart.
They scrape away easily.




Cut the heart into bite-sized pieces. Serve with a low fat dip.





To eat the leaves...Hold the top of the leaf. Scrape the inside
along your bottom teeth. Discard the parts of the leaves that are
too hard or stringy to chew and swallow easily.

  **Note. The dog in the picture is a trained food model. Please do NOT give artichokes to your pets. This dog did NOT actually eat it, and was not harmed during his photo shoot for this blog.


For a quick dipping sauce mix 2 Tbsp of spicey brown mustard with 1 Tbsp of fat free Miracle Whip and 1 Tbsp lemon juice. It makes a rich and spicey addition to your artichoke. I also like to mix a little greek yogurt with lemon and dill...as much as you like...then let it sit for an hour in the fridge so the dill really permiates the yogurt.